"Carmelo Anthony, his middle finger needing six stitches and wrapped in a thick bandage after the Knicks' thrilling 100-98 win over the Bobcats Wednesday night, wouldn't commit to facing the Heat Thursday night.

But he certainly hopes his finger, which was numb when he spoke to reporters after the game, will allow him to face LeBron James. Anthony sliced his middle finger on a metal container diving for a loose ball with 2:10 left in the game after game-winning, buzzer-beating hero J.R. Smith had blocked a shot.

"I want to play in Miami, but at the end of the day I have to do what's right for my finger,'' Anthony said. "We'll talk to the doctors. If I can't play, I'll see them two more times.''

Coach Mike Woodson said afterward he thought Anthony would probably give it a go. And Anthony is optimistic and even took a shot at Spurs coach Gregg Popovich for sending his star players home and not to Miami last week.